When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
C6 Corvette ZR1 & Z06General info about GM’s Corvette Supercar, LS9 Corvette Technical Info, Performance Upgrades, Suspension Setup for Street or Track
I sold my turbo 4th gen Camaro a while back because I was ready to go to step it up a notch and I would have had to literally change everything in that build since it was all matched very well and subsequently maxed out in every way. I built it over 10 years ago and it was a pretty basic straight forward setup so it was time to step up to another platform that wouldn't be as easy and straight forward as doing a 4th gen f-body so I picked up a 2009 C6 Z06 as the new project car. Found a nearly stock one so I flew out to California and drove it straight back just to start taking things apart and doing what I can in the garage with my very limited time now a days... which also made me think just what the hell I was doing starting on another project car with my limited time. I built my Camaro many many years ago when I wasn't married, didn't have almost 2 full time jobs, you know when I actually had some spare time. LOL! I have done what I can in the garage with just working on it an hour or so a night for the past few months but now I've gotten to the heavy lifting so to speak and unless I want to work on this for the next 2 years it was time to enlist some good friends of mine at Cordes Performance Racing. Otherwise I would be doing the engine/trans/fuel system/blower on the ground in my garage or it would become a permanent fixture in another one of my friends garages that has a lift and I really intend on racing this thing sooner rather than later. With their experience on builds like this things will smoothly and it will get done a lot sooner. This will more than likely be a multi post because I have lots of pictures with lots more to come....
Here it is! Bone stock with just fixed heads as the only real mod, time to tear it apart!
I started with the suspension first. 15" rear wheel conversion, coil overs, solid spherical bushings, HD rear drag anti roll bar, etc. The suspension stuff for this thing is all done!
I had to mount the Welds once I got the 15" rear conversion stuff in place, at least it looks mean!
I started to install the 8.50 cert RPM Rollcage in the car. For my goals even this isn't going to be enough but I need to make compromises as this is first and foremost a street car that will be raced at the race track. It's still going to have A/C, heat, etc but I need to have a good level of safety in a vehicle that is going to be hauling this much ***. I starting doing what I could in my garage but my good friend Charles Hendrickson at Pro Dyno said he would help with the welding, cutting, etc. He is very good and I am at the fischer price level of welding so I needed it done right. The C6 Z06 platform has it's own problems to overcome with a roll cage like this with it's aluminum frame and light weight balsa wood composite floor. NHRA regulations have a specific section in there just for C6 Z06s that state you need to weld in thick aluminum angled plates that the cage has to bolt/weld to with additional plates top/bottom. Welding thick aluminum isn't very fun with the heat required and having an experienced welder with the right hardware is key.
This is the area we cut for the rear plates that need to drop down and weld to the frame. The cage is then bolted directly to the pad that is up top.
This is right above the muffler area and is where the plate drops down to weld to the frame.
The finished product after it's been cleaned up and sprayed with paint to protect it.
The main hoop plates being burned in and drilled/screwed together. It was not fun but not super difficult or anything like that.
Getting there, test fitting seats even though these are not going back in...
Passenger side in
Here you can see how the rear bars attach to the rear pads that were welded in.
Steering wheel in, SFI padding, seats, belts, etc.
Rear hatch currently
Chute mounted, drag wing installed for test fitting before sending out for powder coat.
LME 427, LSR block, LLSR cam, all the goodies. Motor is already in at this point!
RPM Glide and 9" rear sitting here just waiting to go in! Hopefully in the next couple of weeks it will be in and then I'm just waiting on the F1X head unit along with a few cooling bits to show up.
Here is how it looks today, at least it looks like it means business even if it doesn't move like it yet!
Yup, wanted something that was pretty much straight through but had some sort of resonance damping and there surprisingly enough isn't really anything else that fits the bill.
Can't wait to see it up and going, Nic !!!!
Squirreled away the glide and rear at the house to make sure Joe didn't steal it for another project ?
Me too! Yeah I figured I had better bring it home since it's a good chunk of change sitting there in the shop and nothing will happen with it for months.
Yup, wanted something that was pretty much straight through but had some sort of resonance damping and there surprisingly enough isn't really anything else that fits the bill.
Resonance damping? You're going to cruse that car at 70 on Arizona freeways? sub'd
With the glide I'm really not sure but with the last manual F1X build I tuned that was similar it made right around 1450 rwhp. With the glide I'm guessing 1200 rwhp? If it doesn't make that I can always spray on it!
Originally Posted by JShort
Great work as always Nic! I always enjoyed watching your 4th gen build progress through the years on LS1tech. Looking forward to seeing this monster!
Thanks! I hope this one lasts as long as the Camaro did.
Originally Posted by Unreal
Probably more of an ET goal, since glide will make dyno numbers sad.
Yup, glides are not dyno friendly transmissions that's for sure.
Originally Posted by nuke61
Resonance damping? You're going to cruse that car at 70 on Arizona freeways? sub'd
Hell yes, just like my Camaro it will be driven mostly on the street and taken to the track a couple of times a year to get the boot.
07-17-2018, 02:53 PM
C6Z TT/glide build underway, used to be F1X
With their experience on builds like this things will smoothly and it will get done a lot sooner. This will more than likely be a multi post because I have lots of pictures with lots more to come....
